Weekly Update: Quakes within reach of 200th regular season win

The Earthquakes return to action on Saturday, Sept. 14 against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Buck Shaw Stadium for Fiesta Latina, presented by XFINITY. Per the promotion, the Earthquakes will hand out 5,000 Fiesta Latina-XFINITY bandanas at the gates. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. PT on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, 1590 KLIV and 1370 KZSF.

San Jose’s Record in September
The Quakes are 32-23-10 all-time in September in MLS play.

Last Game

Earthquakes 1, Philadelphia Union 0; Sept. 8, 2013; Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Shea Salinas’ first-half goal held up for a 1-0 San Jose Earthquakes win against the Philadelphia Union on, extending the club’s home-unbeaten streak to 13. Despite playing a man down for much of the second half, the Earthquakes kept their fifth clean sheet of the season and picked up a crucial three points to keep in contact with the MLS Cup Playoff race. After applying pressure in the early going, San Jose broke through in the 15th minute as Sam Cronin found Shea Salinas for the speedy winger’s second goal of 2013. Cronin lofted a ball over Philadelphia’s backline, finding Salinas in stride. Salinas took a touch with his right foot, keeping the ball in the air as he continued his penetrating run toward the end line, and then slid to volley his shot past Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath. San Jose took its lead into the half and continued to be the aggressors at the outset of the final 45 minutes. However, in the 58th minute, midfielder Rafael Baca received his second yellow card of the match, leaving the Earthquakes a man down. Despite the man advantage, the Union failed to break through thanks to a gritty defensive effort from San Jose’s backline. Goalkeeper Jon Busch finished with four saves and his 72nd career shutout, one behind Matt Reis of the New England Revolution for No. 5 on the MLS all-time list.

Earthquakes 0, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2; Aug. 10, 2013; BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia
After a scoreless first half, the Earthquakes allowed two goals in the second half to fall 2-0 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place. After a tight first half, the Quakes nearly broke through for the game’s first goal in the 55th minute. Clarence Goodson got on the end of a cross at the back post and headed one back across goal for Chris Wondolowski. The reigning Volkswagen MVP reached back for the ball but could only redirect it before Whitecaps FC midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker and goalkeeper David Ousted combined to deflect the attempt and clear it away. Whitecaps FC scored the game’s first goal on a counterattack in the 60th minute. After gaining possession in their own half, Whitecaps FC quickly broke out and Reo-Coker found some space on the right wing. He sent a low cross to the center of the box and Camilo Sanvezzo slid to tap the ball into the far post for a 1-0 Whitecaps FC lead. Sam Cronin had a shot at the equalizer after some good combination play by the Quakes just minutes later. Cordell Cato found Alan Gordon with a cross at the back post and he headed it down for Cronin 10 yards from goal, but his shot was deflected by the defense and Shea Salinas’ follow up was saved by Ousted. Kenny Miller put Whitecaps FC up by two goals on a broken play in the 74th minute. Russell Teibert slid a ball to Reo-Coker, who fanned on a shot. But Miller pounced on the loose ball and put it past Quakes goalkeeper Jon Busch for a 2-0 advantage.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Scouting Report
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (10-10-7, 37 pts.) enter this weekend’s match tied for seventh in the Western Conference. After a 3-1 loss against FC Dallas on Saturday, Whitecaps FC will be on the hunt for three points to stay in the MLS Cup Playoff picture. Vancouver is winless in its last four outings with their last victory coming on Aug. 10 against the Earthquakes at BC Place. Brazilian forward Camilo Sanvezzo leads the squad with 14 goals while midfielder Russell Teibert tops their assist list with eight.

History of the Quakes-Vancouver Whitecaps FC Rivalry
The Quakes and Vancouver Whitecaps FC drew in each of their first two all-time meetings in 2011 … The teams tied 1-1 at Empire Field in Vancouver on May 11 as Chris Wondolowski scored a 39th-minute goal on a back-heeled flick that earned MLS Goal of the Week consideration, with Ryan Johnson assisting … The ‘Caps equalized in second-half stoppage time when Davide Chiumiento scored for a share of the points … The return fixture inside Buck Shaw Stadium on July 20 ended in a 2-2 tie with dueling braces by Wondolowski and Vancouver’s Eric Hassli as San Jose was unable to hold on to a pair of one-goal leads … In the first of three meetings in 2012 back on April 7 at Buck Shaw, the ‘Caps took a 1-0 lead early in the second half through a Sebastien Le Toux strike, only to see the Quakes storm back for three goals within a 10-minute span from the 68th to the 78th … Wondolowski tallied two more around what proved to be a game-winning header from second-half substitute Alan Gordon in the 72nd from a Ramiro Corrales cross … In the second meeting of the 2012 season at BC Place in Vancouver on May 5, the Whitecaps came out victorious off a stoppage time goal from forward Eric Hassli. Wondolowski opened the scoring in the 15th minute off a Marvin Chavez cross, but Vancouver answered with a goal from Gershon Koffie shortly before halftime … Vancouver Whitecaps FC won 2-1 at B.C. Place in the final matchup of 2012 between the two teams thanks to a Barry Robson 61st minute penalty kick. Whitecaps FC Dane Richards opened the scoring just 20 minutes into the match. Earthquakes Alan Gordon knotted the score at 1-1 just seven minutes before halftime with a header into the back post … The two sides drew 1-1 in their first meeting of 2013 with Chris Wondolowski and Corey Hertzog scoring goals at Buck Shaw Stadium … Vancouver won their next match of the campaign 2-0 at BC Place.

Earthquakes-Vancouver Whitecaps FC Connections
Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon played for San Jose from 1999-2002 and 2008-10 … He also played under current Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop with the LA Galaxy in 2007 … Cannon played his college soccer at Buck Shaw Stadium as a former All-American at Santa Clara University (1995-97) … Cannon grew up in Los Altos Hills and graduated from Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif. … Yallop spent part of his youth in Vancouver from age 10-16, later earning 52 caps for the Canadian men’s national team before serving as its head coach from 2004-06 … Earthquakes assistant coach Mark Watson is a native of Vancouver … Earthquakes midfielder Shea Salinas played for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2011 after being selected by the club during the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft … Salinas was traded from Vancouver to San Jose on Nov. 30, 2011, in exchange for allocation money … Salinas and Vancouver defender Jordan Harvey played together with the Philadelphia Union in 2010 … Harvey is a California native (Mission Viejo) who attended UCLA … San Jose defender Justin Morrow and Vancouver defender Greg Klazura were teammates at Notre Dame from 2007-09 … NBA All-Star Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns, a member of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC ownership group, played basketball at Santa Clara University … Whitecaps FC forward/midfielder Erik Hurtado attended Santa Clara University where he was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2012 … Earthquakes midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy, defenders Dan Gargan and Ty Harden were teammates with Whitecaps FC’s Jordan Harvey while members of the Colorado Rapids … Ballouchy having played with Harvey from 2007-09, Gargan from 2006-08 and Harden in 2009.

Earthquakes Leaders vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Chris Wondolowski has six goals in six games vs. Vancouver … Alan Gordon has two goals in three matches … Goalkeeper Jon Busch is 1-3-3 in seven games.

Vancouver Whitecaps Leaders vs. Earthquakes
Gershon Koffie, Camilo Sanvezzo and Kenny Miller are the only members of the current Whitecaps FC team that have scored against the Quakes with one goal apiece … Goalkeeper Joe Cannon is 3-5-4 with three shutouts in 12 career games against his former team … Starting goalkeeper David Ousted had seven saves and picked up a shutout in his first appearance against San Jose on Aug. 10, a 2-0 win at BC Place.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

Milestone Alert
The Earthquakes are one win away from their 200th in club history … Midfielder Shea Salinas is two assists away from tying Ian Russell for No. 10 on the club’s career list … Forward Chris Wondolowski is one appearance away from surpassing Troy Dayak for No. 9 on the club’s all-time games list with 129.

Corner Kicks Record
The Earthquakes took 16 corner kicks in Sunday’s 1-0 win against the Philadelphia Union, setting a new club record. The previous club mark was 15, set on Aug. 26, 2000 vs. LA and May 13, 2012 vs. Chivas USA.

Hernandez Moves Up Career List
Earthquakes defender Jason Hernandez passed Wade Barrett for No. 5 on the club’s all-time minutes played list. Hernandez’s 90 minutes in Sunday’s 1-0 win against the Philadelphia Union upped his San Jose career total to 12, 238, 20 minutes ahead of Barrett. Next on the list is Ronald Cerritos with 12,382.

Wondolowski Ties Dayak for Career Mark
Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski made his 129th career appearance in San Jose on Sunday, tying Troy Dayak for No. 9 on the club’s all-time games list. An appearance against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday would move Wondolowski past Dayak and within one of current Earthquakes assistant coach Ian Russell for No. 8 on the list.

Iron Man
The Earthquakes have one player that has played every minute of all 28 matches this season, Jon Busch. Sam Cronin is the only other player on the squad to start all 28 matches; he has logged 2,431 minutes in the process.

Ring Traded to Portland
The Earthquakes acquired a 2014 draft pick from the Portland Timbers in exchange for midfielder Brad Ring. The pick will be Portland's lowest in next year's draft. Ring, 26, began his career in San Jose as a second-round pick (No. 17 overall) in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. He sat out his rookie season due to injury, but logged 37 appearances – including 25 starts – from 2010 through 2013. He had one assist during his time with the Earthquakes, a game-winner against the Columbus Crew on May 14, 2011.

Lenhart, Gordon Moving Up All-Time Goals List
Steven Lenhart and Alan Gordon haven’t been with the Earthquakes for long, but they’ve both made significant impacts during their brief stints in San Jose. Alan Gordon is No. 8 all-time with 18 goals in 43 games. Meanwhile, Lenhart is tied with Ryan Johnson for No. 9 on the list with 17 goals in 56 games. Jeff Baicher is No. 7 on the list with 20 goals while Chis Wondolowski tops everyone with 72 goals in 129 games.

CONCACAF Champions League Schedule
The Earthquakes will play four CONCACAF Champions League matches in group play after qualifying for the tournament by virtue of their Supporters’ Shield win in 2012. The schedule is as follows:

T-Mobile 4G Power Zone Back for 2013
The Earthquakes have teamed with T-Mobile for the second year in a row to create the “T-Mobile 4G Power Zone” at all home games for the 2013 season. The promotion will give fans the opportunity to purchase great seats for only $17 – a discount of $10 off the day-of-game price, the most affordable Earthquakes tickets available to the public. Through the agreement, T-Mobile has rebranded the Corner Flag Section 107 at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara as the “T-Mobile 4G Power Zone.” For more information, visit www.sjearthquakes.com/tickets.

Quakes President Dave Kaval’s Office Hours
Earthquakes President Dave Kaval’s office hours will continue in 2013. Fans can drop by his office at 451 El Camino Real, Suite 201 in Santa Clara, Calif., on Tuesdays between 3 and 5 p.m. PT. Participants will be seen on a first come, first served basis. Be sure to read his blog, Kaval’s Kickoff, exclusively at www.sjearthquakes.com, and follow him on Twitter at @QuakesPrez.

Season Tickets on Sale/Priority for New Stadium
Season tickets for the 2013 season at Buck Shaw Stadium are still available. By purchasing season tickets for the final season at Buck Shaw Stadium, fans can enter the queue for priority seating for the Earthquakes New Stadium. Season ticket holders are currently selecting their seats for the New Stadium. To purchase season tickets or for more information, please contact the Earthquakes headquarters at 408-556-7700.

Wells Fargo Goals for Education
Wells Fargo has again pledged to donate $250 for each goal the Earthquakes score in 2013 through the Goals for Education program. The club has raised $7,250 so far this season thanks to 29 goals. The Earthquakes raised $18,000 in 2012 after scoring a club record 72 goals.

ACADEMY NOTES

U-14s Open Season with 9-1 Win
The Earthquakes’ U-14 Academy squad opened its season with a 9-1 rout of Ballistic United on Saturday in Pleasanton. Amado Lozano and Arturo Wuest Jr. each recorded hat tricks while Kaya Fabbretti, Chris Sumano and Ivan Valencia had one goal apiece. The U-14s are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 14 against Marin FC Alliance at the Earthquakes Training Facility.

U-16s, U-18s Open Season on Saturday
The Earthquakes’ U-16 and U-18 Academy teams open their 2013-14 seasons on Saturday at the club’s training facility in San Jose. They’ll host Crossfire Premier with the U-18s up first at 10 a.m. PT and the U-16s to follow at 12:30 p.m. PT.